Regulator system



March 13, 1928.

WITNESSES:

14% )VaZZa.

INVENTOR ZTTORNEY Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. ASHBAUGH, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

REGULATOR SYSTEM.

Application filed December 4, 1924. Serial No. 753,866.

My invention relates to regulator systems and it has for one of its objects the provision of means for extending the range of operation of vibratory regulator systems.

A further object of my invention 1s the provision of means for limiting the current flow through the regulator relays, and thereby protecting the relays from damage by being subjected to excessive heating.

My invention contemplates a regulator system comprising a dynamo-electric machine, the field winding of which is energizcd from an eXciter-generator. The voltage of the exciter-generator is controlled by means of a vibratory regulator which governs the operation of a plurality of relays,

one of the relays being so connected as to intermittently short circuit a resistor in the field circuit of the exciter-generator. In the relay circuit, I provide a constant-current regulator which maintains a constant flow of current through the regulator contacts and thereby prevents excessive heating of the relay windings.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, n which the single figure is a diagrammatic view of the circuits and apparatus in an embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, a dynamo-electric machine is provided with an armature winding 2 connected to a power circuit 4, 5, 6, and with a field-magnet winding 7 connected through a rheostat 8 to an exc-itergenerator 9. The exciter-generator 9 comprises an armature winding 11 and a field winding 12, that is connected in series circuit relation with a field resistor 13. A voltage regulator indicated generally at 14 is provided, and it comprises a control magnet 15 and a vibrating magnet 16. The control magnet 15 comprises a core member 17 and a winding 18 that is connected through a resistor 19 to the secondary winding of a voltage transformer 21, the primary Winding of which is connected to the power circuit 4, 5, 6. The vibratory magnet 16 comprises a core member 22 and a winding 23 that is connected through a resistor 24 to the secondary winding of the voltage transformer 21.

The regulator 14 operates to intermittently engage and disengage the contact members 25 and 26 to control a circuit through the windings of relays 27 and 28.

The relay 27 comprises a pair of contact members 29 that are normally held in a disengaged position by a tension member 31. The relay 28 comprises a pair of contact members 32 that are normally held in a disengaged position by the action of a tension member 33. The energization of the relay windings causes the contact members 29 and 32 of the respective relays to become engaged, the relay 27 short-circuiting the field resistor 13, and the relay 28 short-circuiting the resistor 24.

In circuit with the regulator relays, I provide a constant-current regulator 34 com prising a resistor 35, that is normally shortcircuited through relay contact members 36. The constant-current regulator further comprises an electro-magnet 37 consisting of a core member 38 and a winding 39 connected in series circuit relation with the relays 27 and 28. The core member 38 is connected to a contact arm 41 that is normally urged downwardly by a tension member 42. The lower end of the core member 38 is connected to a dash-pot 43 that operates as a retarding member.

The operation of the regulator system is as follows:

The regulator 14 is actuated in accordance with the voltage upon the power cir cuit 4, 5, 6, to control the operation of re lays 27 and 28 and thereby to control the voltage of the exciter-generator 9 by varying the effective value of the resistor 13. The Voltage of the exciter-generator in turn varies the energization of the field-magnet winding 7 of the dynamo-electric machine 1, thereby controlling the voltage impressed by the machine 1 upon the circuit 4, 5, 6.

The constant-current regulator 34 connccted in the relay circuit operates to maintain constant current through the operating coils of the relays when contacts 25 and 26 of the regulator are engaged. The current through the winding 39 of the constant-current regulator, in reaching a predetermined value, energizes the core member 38 causing it to move upwardly and to disengage the contacts 36 thus introducing the resistor 35 into the relay circuit. The action of the regulator 34 is to intermittently make and break the circuit through the contact members 36 and to thereby maintain a limited flow of current through the relay circuit.

Many modifications of my invention may be made Within the spirit thereol, and I do not Wish to be limited other than by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. ln regulator system, a dynamo-electric machine, a regulator for controlling the excitation of said dynamo-electric machine, a plurality of relays controlled by said regulater, and a constant-current regulator in series-circuit relation with said relays.

2. .ln a regulator system, a dynamo-elec-' tric machine, a regulator for controlling the excitation of said dynamo-electric machine, a plurality of relays controlled by said regulator, a resistor in series-circuit relation with said relays, means for normally short-circuiting said resistor, and means acher 1924.

JOHN H. ASHBAUGH. 

